Shloka 14

Śukasya Janma-yoga-phalaṁ — Vyāsasya Tapasā Putrārthaḥ (Śānti-parva 310)

Devanagari script

एते विशेषा राजेन्द्र महाभूतेषु पजचसु । बुद्धीन्द्रियाण्ययथैतानि सविशेषाणि मैथिल,राजेन्द्र! उनमें पाँच कर्मेन्द्रियों और शब्द आदि पाँच विषयोंकी “विशेष” संज्ञा है और ये पाँच ज्ञानेन्द्रियाँ 'सविशेष” कहलाती हैं। मिथिलानरेश! ये “विशेष” और “सविशेष” तत्त्व पञ्चमहाभूतोंमें ही स्थित हैं

Transliteration

ete viśeṣā rājendra mahābhūteṣu pañcasu | buddhīndriyāṇy athaitāni saviśeṣāṇi maithila ||

Translation

Yājñavalkya said: “O king, these are called ‘particulars’ (viśeṣa) within the five great elements. And these very cognitive faculties (buddhi-indriyas) are termed ‘with particulars’ (sa-viśeṣa), O king of Mithilā. The categories of ‘particular’ and ‘with-particular’ are grounded in the five great elements themselves.”

Word by Word

• {'ete': 'these', 'viśeṣāḥ': 'particulars

• specific differentiating features (often linked with sense-objects/qualities)', 'rājendra': 'O best of kings', 'mahābhūteṣu': 'in the great elements (earth, water, fire, wind, space)', 'pañcasu': 'in the five', 'buddhīndriyāṇi': 'cognitive faculties / organs of knowledge (jñānendriyas) as instruments of apprehension', 'atha': 'and then

• moreover', 'etāni': 'these (same ones)', 'sa-viśeṣāṇi': 'endowed with particulars

• connected with specific differentiations', 'maithila': 'O king of Mithilā (Janaka)'}

Speaker

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Janaka (king of Mithilā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse classifies experiential differentiation: ‘viśeṣa’ (particulars) and ‘sa-viśeṣa’ (that which is connected with particulars, i.e., the knowing faculties) are said to be situated in and dependent upon the five great elements, emphasizing that sensory-cognitive experience is rooted in elemental constitution rather than in the pure Self.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a philosophical instruction to the king of Mithilā (Janaka), Yājñavalkya explains categories of reality related to the elements and the sense/cognitive faculties, continuing a teaching aimed at discrimination between the material constituents of experience and the higher principle sought for liberation.